The £100k mistake hiding in most AV quotes (and how to avoid it)

It isn't the headline number. It's the missing line items that only show up when something goes wrong. I have seen it cost businesses well over one hundred thousand pounds in a single day. Here is what is hiding in most AV quotes, and how to spot it before you sign.

The real mistake

Most clients compare AV quotes as if they were buying the same product. They look at screen size, number of speakers, number of lights, number of microphones, day rate and total cost. On paper the quotes look similar. In reality they are not.

The real difference between a safe quote and a dangerous one is not gear. It is risk coverage. When a quote is built around gear only, you are buying a set-up that works when everything goes perfectly. Events never happen in a perfect world.

Why tender quotes are rarely comparable

When companies go out to tender, the proposals that come back are almost never like for like, even when they look similar at first glance. Two suppliers can both say they are providing sound, lighting, screens, mics and crew. Yet one is quoting for a show built to survive failure, and the other for a show that only works if nothing breaks.

Under time pressure, the easiest shortcut is the final number. So instead of judging risk coverage, crew depth, prep time and contingency, people let the bottom line steer the decision. The cheapest quote is often the one that has removed the things you needed most, and hidden the risk inside your event day.

A story you will recognise

A client once sent us two quotes and asked why ours was higher. The other supplier included what appeared to be the same kit list: the same LED wall size, the same number of microphones, a similar lighting list. Then we asked one question: what happens if your main playback machine fails during the keynote?

There was no answer. No plan for a failure, no time set aside to prepare for one, no one whose job it was to fix it fast. Their quote assumed nothing would fail. The moment something fails, the cost is not the AV bill. It is a room full of senior people losing trust, a keynote falling flat, a brand moment turning into a post-mortem, an unusable recording, or a sales or fundraising story that collapses. That is where six figures disappear, fast.

The risk areas most quotes ignore

If you haven't seen these clearly priced, they're probably not included.

• A plan for failure: a clear answer to what happens if sound, video, playback or control fails mid-show. This is what keeps the show alive when something goes wrong.
• Proper power and distribution: clean power, correct load planning and protected circuits. Poor power is one of the commonest causes of screen and audio failure.
• Rigging done properly: rated hardware, correct points, experienced crew and proper documentation.
• Crew depth: not just numbers, but the right experienced people to build, operate and fix problems quickly.
• Pre-production time: room drawings, line diagrams, rehearsal plans, show flow and contingency planning only happen when time is budgeted for them.

If those five are not present, the quote is not a production plan. It's a kit rental list.

Seven questions to audit any AV quote

1. What happens to sound and video if a core device fails?
2. How quickly can you recover if presentation playback stops during a keynote?
3. How are you managing power distribution and circuit protection?
4. Who is doing the rigging, and with what hardware?
5. How many crew are on site, and what are their roles?
6. What pre-production time is included before the event day?
7. What is the single biggest risk you expect, and how are you covering it?

A serious supplier will answer clearly, without defensiveness. A weak one will wave the questions away with confidence and no detail. Confidence is cheap. Contingency is expensive. Only one of them saves your event.

The mindset shift

Don't buy AV as if you're buying equipment. Buy it as insurance for a high-stakes business moment. The right quote isn't the one that looks cheapest today; it's the one that keeps your event alive when the unexpected happens.

Sanjeev Desour, IGNITE Events. First published 20 November 2025.